CVE-2026-73281
Description
A flaw was found in OpenSSH's ssh-agent component. A misinteraction between agent locking and the session-bind@openssh.com extension allows operations intended for local execution to be performed remotely. This could enable a remote attacker to add PKCS#11 tokens or utilize keys with destination restrictions, bypassing intended security controls.
Statement
Red Hat has determined that this vulnerability has limited impact. Exploitation requires an authenticated SSH session with agent forwarding enabled and the agent in a locked state. Only OpenSSH versions 8.9 and later contain the vulnerable session-bind@openssh.com extension code. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, and RHEL 9 through 9.6 ship OpenSSH versions prior to 8.9 and are not affected. Red Hat may apply this fix in a future update for affected products.
Mitigation
Avoid using ssh-agent forwarding to untrusted remote hosts, or disable agent forwarding entirely by removing `ForwardAgent yes` from SSH configuration. If agent forwarding is required, avoid locking the agent while forwarded sessions are active.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 3.5 | N/A | 3.5 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | High |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Changed | N/A | Changed |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | None |
| Integrity Impact | Low | N/A | Low |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | None |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Access Control
Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
A user can access restricted functionality and/or sensitive information that may include administrative functionality and user accounts.
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